European football superstar Gareth Bale announced his retirement yesterday aged 33.

Dubbed as one of the greatest British footballers of all time, the winger is best-known for his nine year stay in Madrid, winning five Champions League with giants Real Madrid.

Bursting onto the scene with Southampton in 2006, his six-year stay with Tottenham Hotspur saw him become the most expensive player in the world in 2013.

26 goals in his final campaign, including one agains the Royals, made the Welshman the hottest property on the market.

One of the best known transfer stories, it could have been so different for Wales' record cap holder and scorer, as he could have played for the Royals.

Famously offered in a part exchange with Stephen Hunt, the move did not go through and the rest is history.

Bale did get one chance to run out at the now SCL Stadium though, in a 3-1 win for the North London club against a newly-promoted Reading in September 2012.

Jermain Defoe grabbed a brace but Bale marked his only appearance at RG2 with a well-taken finish from inside the box to, at the time, make it 0-2.

Under Andre Villas-Boas the Spurs finished fifth- at the time their highest Premier League points tally.